


marks left unseen

by ravenmist4, ruinofcalamity



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, F/M, Mild Gore, Post-Breath of the Wild, Post-Calamity Ganon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Torture, i should let them be happy yet here i am, link realizes he loves zelda after almost losing her, putting them both through HELL, zelda can’t catch a break
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-26 19:17:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 13,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20394814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenmist4/pseuds/ravenmist4, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruinofcalamity/pseuds/ruinofcalamity
Summary: recovering from the calamity, zelda and link found themselves in semi-domestic bliss at his home in hateno village.while the threat of calamity ganon may be gone; there are still many loose ends to be solved. such as the yiga clan, who have decided to finally unleash their revenge on link.after all, what is a knight without his princess?





	1. wandering off

things had been going so smoothly.

most of the monsters seemed to retreat after calamity ganon’s defeat— the traveling pair didn’t even catch a glimpse of a mere bokoblin on their way to hateno village. it was such a stark contrast from the hectic decades she had spent alone.

it seemed almost too good to be true. it seemed as if one moment, she was bound to malice himself— and the next, she was in link’s arms; safe and sound. 

even with ganon gone, scars from his presence still remained. sleep was illusive for both zelda and link. zelda was often plagued with brief bouts of insomnia. she’d consistently find herself in the throes of a nightmare whenever she did sleep for too long, leaving her feeling more drained than she was to begin with. 

that night, she had stayed up till late, per usual. while link usually kept her company, he had seemed particularly tired and went to bed before her. zelda was relieved to see her dear friend actually resting, although she couldn’t help but feel a mild twinge of disappointment as she realized this would mean she was spending the next few hours alone. 

she continued to idle, studying the books she had found within link’s shelves. they weren’t particularly interesting, but she enjoyed scanning through them nonetheless. finishing a page, the words seemed to ever so slightly blur as her eyes unfocused. a few moments prior she was wide awake, but now she was incredibly relieved to find the wave of weariness crashing upon her. taking one last glance at the book splayed in her lap, she gently closed it and made her way upstairs to put it away and join her companion in bed.

he had reserved the closer portion of the bed for her— thoughtful as always. zelda affectionately noted the fact he always seemed to think of her wellbeing and convenience before his own. he was earnest in his dedication to her, despite the fact he was no longer her official appointed knight. he technically could’ve left her to fend for herself the moment calamity ganon was vanquished, yet he took her in and kept her safe, as he always had before. most times she felt like a burden, undeserving of his care after failing him and her kingdom time and time again. 

despite her guilt, she couldn’t help but admit that she appreciated the consistency link offered. zelda could travel across the ends of the world and she knew link would follow no matter what the circumstance. 

lost in her musings about the hero, she stared at his sleeping form for a few more lingering moments before attempting to get into the bed. her goal was to avoid waking him at all costs— she knew all too well how badly he needed this sleep. 

mirroring his sleeping position, she turned to face the opposite wall and slowly drifted off.

a mere 3 hours later, zelda’s eyes fluttered open. craning her neck to check, she found link was still peacefully asleep beside her. it was still nighttime. she tried relaxing her body as she closed her eyes; waiting for the lull of sleep to take mercy and bless her once more. 

yet, as expected, it didn’t arrive.

the minutes she laid there seemed to pass like hours and before she knew it, she gave up on returning to sleep and heaved herself out of bed.

she knew that she needed whatever rest she could take, but she just couldn’t fall back asleep. it simply wouldn’t work. she knew from past experience that it was a better decision to preoccupy herself until morning rather than let her wild mind run rampant throughout the night with nothing to distract her.

carefully making her way down the stairs, she took a look around— searching for some unfinished chore she could possibly take upon herself. 

link’s house was minimalistic one; he certainly had decorated, and furnished, better than zelda would have ever expected from him. he somehow made the lonesome house feel like a home despite the fact he was busy traveling all across hyrule, which zelda thought to be a true accomplishment. 

whether it was the flowers he kept, the vintage photos adorning the walls, or even the small acorn pottery gifted by the korok, it seemed to have many personal touches. or perhaps zelda was looking far too into it. 

as she examined further, she realized everything was still clean from the last, semi recently, time that they had scrubbed the floors and swept everything. unfortunately for her, there truly seemed to be nothing to do, as she had no current interest in returning to the tedious book she had already put away anyways.

discouraged, zelda hastily slipped into the pair of shoes she had bought from the local clothes shop not too long ago. the only belongings she had after calamity ganon was her simple, ivory worshipping gown and the high-laced sandals that came along with it— neither suitable for traveling. therefore she resorted to borrowing clothing from link; such as the hylian hood she was currently reaching for off of the nearby clothes hanger.

she wouldn’t be gone long— just a nighttime stroll. she’d surely be back before link awoken.

after wrapping herself tightly in link’s hood, she carefully ventured out the front door, shutting it behind her and following the usual pathway.

she walked across the wooden bridge and through the bolson construction homes. once she reached the bulletin board, she stopped momentarily to admire the view before her. the peaceful village homes, contained with slumbering families, surrounded her. their faint lamps illuminated her path as she made her way down towards the main entrance of hateno village. link had chosen a truly beautiful place to live. it had come so far since the humble place it once was before the calamity. thank the goddesses it was spared.

thick clouds began to quickly roll in and overtake the, formerly clear, night sky. zelda was, for the most part, sated by her nighttime stroll. she took the weather as a sign for her to return back home, and had already started on her way to the wooden bridge when a shrill, childlike wail started sounding from the woods below.

the child clearly sounded distressed, and the noise immediately made zelda uneasy. she bolted towards the trees, expecting to see one of hateno’s young children that had perhaps gotten injured, or lost, while wandering too far from home in the middle of the night.

she skidded to a stop in the middle of midla and ginner woods, unable to see any hylian children on the path beyond. the moon was blocked due to the looming storm, and the nighttime made her search considerably more difficult. she resorted to pricking her ears for any further cries from the child.

zelda was able to detect was a faint rustling, along with muffled voices. that was all it took for her. 

although she hadn’t publicly reclaimed her throne nor gone through coronation, she still considered herself painfully responsible for _all_ hylians. if one of her citizens was in need, she had to help them. 

furiously, she ran to the source of the noise— the woods beside her, and was greeted with nothing but the usual trees and foliage.

panicked and confused, she called out the names of all the hateno children she could remember. nebb, narah, aster,, why was no one answering?!

zelda _knew_ it was more than just a figment of her imagination. her heart began racing. it began to dawn on her that this could be more serious than a disoriented youth.

there was someone,, or something, out there.

as she caught a glimpse of who truly was hiding in the woods, her distressed face contorted into pure horror. this was all too familiar. her last brush with attempted assassination, over 100 years ago, featured the same group of dangerous, corrupted individuals. 

their lanky, masked soldiers soon surrounded her, and there was only a brief moment before she felt a flash of searing pain in the back of her skull and quickly fell to her knees, unconscious.


	2. kidnapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things are escalating. quickly.

zelda awoke as her body was roughly jostled. she couldn’t move her hands or feet; soon dawning on her that she was thoroughly tied up. the rough texture beneath her... was she on a horse? 

her head felt like it had been split open. 

despite the fact her eyes were still closed, she could see dots beneath her eyelids— star-like. although her senses were slowly returning to her, she lacked the strength to lift her head and check her surroundings. she just wanted the moving to stop, or else she _would_ vomit on the poor horse’s flank 

she slipped back unconscious soon after, unable to register what was happening. 

in reality, zelda had been transported from hateno village and was now in the direction of the gerudo highlands. the trip itself often took around 4 days on swift horseback, assuming you knew the path— but the yiga were quick, if not entirely witty. the sun was setting and they were already in the gerudo canyon pass. 

zelda remained in her stupor for a few more hours, only to be pulled out by the sound of fierce argument. despite her fogged mind, she could hear the distinct voices of her captors as they bickered over who should ‘deliver the message’. whatever that meant. she had tried to ignore them until she heard a familiar name— link. 

consumed by sudden interest and concern, zelda strained through her raging headache to hear more of their conversation. her hope was for some hint as to how long it would take her hero to come to her aid. she had no doubt in her mind that he’d reach them soon. link would never idle when her life was on the line. 

disguises,, stable,,, warning... the soldiers seemed to squabble about all sorts of things; she had no context, and was horribly lost as to what they were planning. despite the fact she had seen link the night prior, she felt herself aching to see him and their quant hateno home again as soon as possible. perhaps he’d come and fetch her so quickly that the yiga wouldn’t even have the time to enact their foul plot? hopefully, at least.

that hope was soon crushed.

as the group came to some agreement, the horse’s trodding stopped. zelda felt her stomach flip as she heard them step towards her. blinking her bleary eyes open, she caught the unfocused shape of a yiga blademaster, his hand reaching out towards her. he took a handful of zelda’s blonde tresses on her left side, pulling them taut. it wasn’t painful yet, but quite uncomfortable for her. without warning, he raised his other arm; revealing one of the yiga’s trademark weapons in his grip. their vicious sickle.

the blood drained from her face— this scenario was all too similar to one she had experienced 100 years prior. except, now she knew link wouldn’t make it in time.

this was the end.

squeezing her eyes shut; she heard the slight ‘_whoosh_’ as the sickle came crashing down. instead of torn flesh and blood, she only felt stinging pain in her scalp and cheek as her head was wrenched violently to the side. 

opening her eyes, she saw the blademaster victoriously lifting the mound of blonde hair. _her _blonde hair. she instinctively went to reach for her head, but found herself unable to due to the ropes. despite the fact she was (for the most part) intact; seeing such a large quantity of her hair removed from her was jarring in and of itself. she had never cut her hair more than an inch or two in her lifetime, as long hair was considered more regal for royal women. did he miss? there’s no way he could’ve; he had a clear shot. it must’ve been on purpose. why did they want her hair?

taking a shaky breath, she tried reassuring herself with the fact she was still alive. he had grazed her cheek with his blow; she could feel the blood beginning to well from the cut. it wasn’t major, though. she was okay. all she had to do was wait until she had an opportunity to escape, or until link located her.

around her, the yiga soldiers tucked away her hair, seemingly satisfied with their actions. they continued to lead the horse, and their crew, along the canyon path. zelda kept her head low, facing the terrain as limply as she could. she had decided it was best to keep the yiga as unprovoked as possible until there were any new developments. 

after an hour of nothing but desert gravel, zelda caught sight of lanterns in the corner of her eye. as they neared the source, zelda recognized it as the gerudo canyon stable. would anyone there be willing to come to her aid? 

sighing deeply with defeat, she already knew her answer. as much as she loved her citizens, she knew that there was a very small chance any of them would face the yiga head on; and if they did, they’d probably lose. zelda couldn’t risk that; she had to keep the bystanders safe.

however, they didn’t stop directly at the stable. zelda, the horse, and the blademaster were left alone as two other yiga soldiers quickly disguised themselves. they looked no different from any other ordinary hylian traveler— the thought of how easily they could trick someone made zelda sick to her stomach. if only they had disbanded after ganon was sealed away... yet, it seemed as if that setback only fueled them further. 

while two disguised soldiers left for the stable, only one had returned; arms full of supplies (which mostly consisted of bananas). no one seemed concerned about his absence, leaving zelda to assume it must’ve been planned. 

they were already deep into the night as they turned, off trail, towards the great cliffs. the area was secluded and private; the only inhabitants after ganon’s demise were the occasional lizalfo. it was conveniently sheltered by the cliffs and near-constant sandstorms, (un)fortunately the yiga knew how to navigate the sandstorm’s currents with ease. 

once they stopped, a soldier hastily cut the thick rope pinning zelda to their horse. she limply slipped off the hide as a consequence, falling onto the rocky ground like a rag doll. she was unable to use her hands or feet to land properly, still tied at the wrist and ankles. practically defenseless, unless she managed to cut one or the other free. but even if she did, how would she put up a fight? she had no weapons, and they were far more skilled at hand to hand combat than she could ever be. she sealed calamity ganon with the strength of her magic and will alone; losing her divine powers in the process. 

in moments like these, she found herself thinking back to link— she was no longer jealous of him, as she had been so many years ago. now, she simply admired his prowess. there was no doubt that he was talented, although it must’ve taken years and years of practice to hone his skill to the current level he was at. truly, he was meant to be the hero of hyrule; she had never met anyone as courageous or determined. he _would_ come for her. soon. 

after a few minutes of laying slack, zelda was hoisted up by the waist. she was propped against a large, nearby stone— surrounded by the men. the group was relatively small, yet it felt as if malicious eyes were crawling upon zelda from all directions. she fought to keep a steady expression, but her composure was short lived.

after staring at her for a few more lingering moments, one of the yiga members began to grin.

“a mighty fine cloak you have, _princess_.”


	3. blemished

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> torture in this chapter!! don’t read this chapter if you’re sensitive to mild gore, folks

after staring at her for a few more lingering moments, one of the yiga members began to grin.

“a mighty fine cloak you have, _princess_.”

he punctuated her title with feigned respect, his words drawling with condescending mockery. despite his tone, his statement relating to her— technically link’s— cloak, was sincere. 

she kept a silent disposition, pushing through the unease that quickly enveloped her; raising her chin ever so slightly. this was the first time one of the yiga soldiers had spoken directly to her throughout their entire journey, which was more of a relief than anything. this was not a good sign.

he raised himself from his cross-legged sitting position, stepping closer to zelda. 

“it seems as if it had been upgraded by the great fairies as well— how splendid!” he stepped closer before crouching down in front of her, curling his arm behind her head to try and slide the cloak off. she knew what his intentions were before he spoke or made any further move, and she grimaced in response. 

“it is such a cold night; wouldn’t it be unfair if you were to have such protection while we do not?” it was a rhetorical question on his part, and he smirked before beginning to tug on the cloak.

zelda, while quiet, could hardly contain her seething rage. she already knew how often link used this cloak— it was light, yet gave both defense in battle and protection against any unexpected weather. not just that; great fairies were rare, very few hyrulians ever saw one, in person, in their entire lifetime. yet, he managed to have them upgrade his armor, multiple times. she wasn’t going to let this go without a fight, or at least a struggle.

as she felt the cloak begin to shift, she began to struggle against her ropes to no avail. with no other options left, brashness overtook her. she tilted her head ever so slightly before slamming her cranium against the yiga soldier’s own. hard. her vision spun as she pulled away, looking up at the man with a rebellious flare she did not carry before. 

unfortunately, as her eyes met with his— her expression fell as quickly as it had arrived. his nose was bleeding, and the former amusement in his eyes was replaced with unbridled fury. oh no. this was an err that zelda _would _pay for.

expression hardening, he disregarded the cloak before turning to his comrades. having witnessed the scene, the others already knew what to do. they got onto their feet with vigor— seemingly eager for whatever they were planning to punish her with. swallowing hard, zelda cursed herself for not thinking straight earlier. so much for going by unnoticed— apparently, she was much too foolish for that.

she was quickly grabbed by the shoulders, dropped into a laying position. her own overwhelming consternation distracted her from the uncomfortable position her arms were beneath her bodice. she already knew whatever they were planning to do was going to be much worse than whatever discomfort she felt at the moment. 

while one of the men approached her from behind, the blademaster soon loomed directly over her. zelda could feel the distress crashing upon her in waves. her shoulders and knees were pinned to the ground by the spare yiga’s firm hands. she had no way to move. all she could do was quiver and watch as her fate played before her very own eyes. 

taking grip of the fabric of her silk nightgown, he tore it straight down the middle with ease; as if it was only a sheet of parchment. her eyes flew to his, silently pleading with him not to do the unspeakable to her. he didn’t acknowledge her teary gaze whatsoever.

she soon realized his goal wasn’t to rape her; instead, he unsheathed the dreaded sickle. zelda felt bile rise in her throat. swallowing it down, she shut her eyes and prayed for mercy. she couldn’t fight. she couldn’t defend herself. she couldn’t escape. she couldn’t _do_ anything. in the end, praying and begging for salvation was the only thing she _could_ do. even then, her prayers had always gone unanswered. this time would be no different. she was useless. how was she supposed to save her kingdom from the ruinous state it was currently in if she couldn’t even save herself? 

he lowered it deliberately towards the lower middle of her abdomen, and zelda suddenly empathized with poor frogs she had dissected when she was little. what would link think if he found her with her innards splayed for all to see? he’d be traumatized. she hoped he wouldn’t blame himself when he found her. after all, it was her fault that she had gotten kidnapped in the first place. she was still so stupid and helpless, and now she was paying the price.

a gasp escaped zelda’s lips as he dipped the weapon, slowly puncturing the outer skin of her stomach. if he was planning to kill her this slowly, she knew it would surely be an excruciating death. 

tears welled in her eyes as he cut further into her flesh, he dragged the sickle to the left of her; creating a curved, bloody line. she reasoned it wasn’t deep enough to puncture any organs, but it was painful to experience nonetheless. he seemed purposeful and sadistic in his mutilating actions, leaving some unknown shape in his sickle’s path. 

zelda opened her mouth to scream as he lifted the weapon once more, plunging it into her again seconds later. the onlooking yiga quickly covered her mouth to silence her, wary of her screams echoing against the canyon walls.

“shut it— we have to teach you a lesson. you shouldn’t act like an impudent, disrespectful little girl. it seems as if 100 years had taught you nothing. you’re lucky we captured you; you would’ve brought hyrule into ruin again with your incompetence.” 

his words were nothing compared to the sting of the sickle. she ignored his snide comments, too focused on the mauling she was currently experiencing. 

the seconds passed like hours as he whittled away at her body. the tears ran freely down zelda’s cheeks, the only sound emitted from her were muffled cries against the yiga’s cold, unwavering hand.

eventually, he pulled away and sheathed his bloodied weapon while the other retreated his suffocating hand. it was finally finished. zelda willed herself to look down. she felt lightheaded, unable to stop her body from trembling with residue terror. it took a few moments to register within her that he had carved the yiga symbol into her skin; marking her permanently. 

she felt violated. and dirtied. 

soiled.

this was a blemish that cut deeper than skin or flesh. this was a mark upon her soul. an omen in which she would never be truly free from ganon, or his followers. this was a clear, bleeding sign that his blight would stay sheltered within her; never truly purged. she was filthy.

had she deserved this? maybe she had. maybe the yiga was right in his assumptions about her. she had killed hundreds of innocents after failing to seal ganon the first time. _maybe she was worse than ganon_. after all, her citizens had looked to her for safety and she had let all of them down. not to mention the fate of her father and champions. 

she didn’t make an effort to move or cry after they had fully backed away— she had successfully retreated into herself. a small piece of her had broke. they left her there while they huddled close to their campfire. she was still in her mental haze throughout the night; her battered body left cold, alone, and bleeding.

before sunrise, they tied her once more to the back of their steed before making their way to the yiga hideout— the final destination. 


	4. arrival

before sunrise, they tied her once more to the back of their steed before making their way to the yiga hideout— the final destination. 

as they moved, zelda could feel the thin layer of scab begin to ebb due to the friction on her stomach. it didn’t take long until the cuts reopened and she was bleeding once more. her blood continued to stain her nightgown and the poor horse’s fur. at least the pain distracted her from her empty stomach and dry throat.

it didn’t take long for them to reach their hideout, despite the steep pathway. there were countless other yiga footsoldiers, all buzzing around eagerly; anticipating a guest of sorts. the majority of them crowded around the entrance of a cave-like area, filled with torches and flammable banners. she was dragged into the dim cave before being lifted and placed onto an elevated platform. they seated her delicately; her bruised and dusty legs tucked underneath her. 

they snatched the hylian cloak soon after— she let them. without a fight. she had already learned her lesson. they left her with nothing but the torn remains of her nightgown— her body was nearly entirely visible, save for the meager pieces of undergarment she had worn beneath her gown. the oozing scar seemed to be the focal point of her bareness, the bloody mark of the yiga for all eyes to see. 

she wasn’t restrained any further. they had already tied her up, and the majority of the yiga clan were only a few yards away from her. if she tried worming her way off the platform, they were bound to notice. she was mildly surprised by the fact they seemed distracted; their eyes were on the horizon, not on her— much to her relief. however, as she sat there, it soon dawned on her why she was there. why they hadn’t killed her yet. why they were so distracted. they were waiting for the hero to fetch her, she was nothing more than bait.

cursing, she darted her head around wildly, counting the visible yiga members. there were so many. too many. would link be able to defeat them all? their plan was to outnumber him. oh goddesses.

she wanted to have faith in him— after all, he had saved all of hyrule. but despite his prowess,, he wasn’t invincible. what if something went wrong? he had been able to prepare and train himself before he fought ganon. now, he didn’t have the slightest idea of what the yiga were going to unleash upon him. what if he lost?

she blinked the quickly-forming tears away, trying to calculate his odds despite her aching head, body, and stomach. the possibility of link being injured, or killed, weighed more on her than anything she had experienced as of yet with the yiga. he had already died once for her. he couldn’t again— there would be **no** second chances this time.

lost in the panic of her realization and concern, she hadn’t noticed the surrounding yiga’s restless state. zelda was snapped out of her thoughts as a signal suddenly split the air.

“_he’s arrived!_”

link. he was here.

dependable,, courageous,, and so, _so_ stupid.


	5. reunited

_ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀he has arrived. _

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀the words replayed again and again, echoing within her skull. link was here. he’d save her, just like he had before, and they’d escape together unharmed... 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀..right? 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀her eyes trailed down to her midriff for a fraction of a second, the crusted remains of dried blood remaining as a cruel reminder of what had occurred. she winced at the sight, pulling her eyes away. instead, she kept them glued towards the entrance; searching. link had already played the role of messiah in their story, but how much longer could they replay these familiar events before their luck ran out? she felt her anxiety pick up with the thought, increasing steadily as the seconds passed— 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀until she saw him. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀while their circumstances remained as grim as ever, her internal worries seemed to quiet as her eyes met with his for a passing glance. that is, until his eyes trailed off, soon fixating on her lop-sided hair, before locking onto her scarred, unclad stomach. it was a quick survey, nothing more than a glance at the damage done— yet it was all it took. his expression immediately hardened, the relief of seeing her alive dissolved before morphing into what zelda could only describe as incandescent with rage. he was seething.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀the yiga seemed to wait for link to take in the scene, relishing in his reaction. zelda had to resist the urge to crumple underneath his gaze. she was unable to cover herself, or her newfound disfigurements, in any fashion— leaving her bare and humiliated. she _saw _the way he had focused on the assaults inflicted upon her. her formerly unblemished, milky skin, and golden hair was now thoroughly lacerated— tarnished with a mixture of dirt and blood. she could only imagine how pathetic she looked. would he be able to view her in the same light after this? she knew the thought itself was irrational, but the thick clouds of anger wafting off of link made her doubt herself. she had never seen him wear such a harsh expression, and his foreign countenance sent a chill down her spine.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀time seemed to slow for her; she continued to observe him from her mildly distressing location. she soon realized, after examining the rest of him thoroughly, that he had no gear. none. not his infamous darkness sealing sword, not a bag of potions for emergencies, nor a bow and shield— he didn’t even have one of the boomerangs he always insisted on bringing everywhere because they “came in handy”.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀he must’ve been disarmed, she figured. yet, he still looked as if he’d recklessly jump up and lay siege to the yiga within any second— with or without weapons. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀however, the chance of him doing that was soon dismissed— the surrounding yiga roughly directed him to the pair of chains sitting idly on the wall behind them. they continued to bark orders and threats that zelda could hardly make out, but soon enough link had begrudgingly succumbed to the cuffs; facing zelda head-on.


	6. bloodshed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (:  
GORE WARNING IN THE CHAPTER AHEAD

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀the surrounding yiga roughly directed him to the pair of chains sitting idly on the wall behind them. they continued to bark orders and threats that zelda could hardly make out, but soon enough link had begrudgingly succumbed to the cuffs; facing zelda head-on.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀she had temporarily forgotten about her own precarious position, all too absorbed with link’s own. how was he going to escape, and (hopefully) save her, now? they were both at the mercy of the yiga. she had no idea what fate the malicious clan had in store for them; yet she still understood that they were hellbent on making link pay in any gruesome way possible. they’d do unspeakable things to him, much worse than what they had done to her— she was sure of that.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀while nothing had severely harmed link as of yet, the gory mental images of yiga soldiers scourging and tormenting him in a variety of sadistic ways somehow made her more nauseous than her own firsthand experiences. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀behind her, a lanky yet formidable figure seemed to manifest from the shadows. his footsteps carried no sound, and neither did the unsheathing of his weapon. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀zelda remained blissfully unaware of the new vitriolic presence, until a blurry flash of burgundy leather and metal shot out before her. the yiga’s blade had made contact against the vulnerable skin of her throat, and maintained a steady pressure against her larynx. while her skin was still intact for the time being, it was a clear warning; one misstep and she’d suffer the consequences.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀zelda commanded herself to try and stay calm. she resisted the urge to swallow, keeping her breathing minimal in fear that any movement would shift the tapered edge. as subtly as she could possibly manage, zelda strained her eyes to the right. she was met with the side profile of her assailant— a towering yiga who stood out from the others. his posture curled in on himself, giving an almost reptilian-like illusion. she could tell he was taller than the footsoldiers, even most blademasters. he radiated power, cunning,,, and danger. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀zelda felt herself begin to tremble, her fatigued body responding to yet another dose of panic-induced adrenaline as it took note of the life threatening situation.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀her captor opened his mouth to speak, and his booming voice immediately caught the attention of all.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“hero,” he began, his voice borderline gleeful. he repositioned the blade, pressing it against the convergence of her lower jaw and  throat— forcing her to lift her head and chin in submission. “i hope you enjoy this wonderful sight. how does it feel knowing you failed?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀zelda could barely see link’s expression from this angle. she could feel herself beginning to panic, already anticipating what would happen next. her heart was beating wildly. the blood was rushing to her ears. she could feel tears to well, and desperately blinked them away.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“i wonder how you’ll cope once your  _ beloved zelda  _ is gone. a shame, truly. while i would  _ love _ to say i hate the prospect of interrupting such a pure, young love— you have incited and brought forth our anger from the very beginning; i shall enjoy this very much.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀zelda pointedly ignored the yiga’s nonsensical taunting about their ‘love’. he was toying with them and their emotions. trying to get inside their heads. this all had to be a bluff. 

they wouldn’t truly endanger her life… right?

..

wrong.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀everything happened so quickly from that point— less than a minute after the yiga had uttered those words, she felt his grip on the hilt tense, before bursting into action. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀he swiftly retracted the blade, slicing the weapon horizontally across her throat. the blood spurt forward at such a velocity, it took even zelda off-guard. her mouth fell open in belated shock, horror painting her features as crimson bloomed from the parting in her throat.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀the feeling hadn’t arrived as a sudden onslaught of pain, like the torture she had experienced prior had been. instead, the first sensation that came to her was the eerily tepid liquid that began to spill from her fatal injury, streaming down towards the juncture of her collarbone. her eyes fell to the floor beneath her, staring at the thick droplets of blood that were beginning to dot the ground. she was numb with shock, unable to overthink. all she knew was that there was no foreseeable solution to this. this would be her last venture, and most likely link’s as well. she was going to die here; tied up and half-naked, bleeding out with her companion, and the yiga, as her audience. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀she lifted her head, terror apparent in her wide, teary eyes. the cascades of blood stained the squalid remains of her nightgown. there was too much. it began to coat the entirety of her chest, refreshing itself with a new wave each time her heart beat. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀dizzily, zelda sought link out in her last moments of consciousness. she focused on him as her vision began to darken and blur. her lips moved soundlessly, trying to plead for help without the words to do so. she let out a guttural cry, the tears trickling down her cheeks. she didn’t want to die. she was scared. 

so scared.


	7. recovery

the dry heat of the gerudo desert had reached its peak as the late afternoon approached. spared from the sun’s wrath, zelda laid within the gerudo abode on her second day of unconsciousness. romah, the hospitable gerudo woman, had not only just closed the private room of her inn for zelda’s recovery; she had taken it upon herself to nurse the girl back to health. 

and so she had. zelda successfully outlasted her wounds; pulling through despite her fatal blood loss and severe concussion. soon, she would rouse. 

nellie, one of the oldest gerudo vai, had first caught sight of zelda as her body was brought into town. despite her deplorable condition, the regal blonde hair and shimmering hyrulian necklace immediately invoked something within nellie. she brought forth memories from nellie’s own childhood; ones of a frequently visiting princess with a kind smile and bright eyes. she had been a close friend of their late champion, urbosa, and rumor had it that they both perished in the calamity. yet, nellie declared, to all who would humor her, that it was their very same princess from a time long past. nellie had lit a match, and rumors soon spread like wildfire that this wounded girl truly was the long lost princess.

back within hotel oasis; zelda had finally begun to stir. she was immediately propped up the very moment she displayed any sign of consciousness. the lip of a bottle was quickly pressed to her mouth, the saccharine taste of red potion instantly filling her senses. despite her leverage from the pillows, zelda nearly still choked on the onslaught of viscous elixir. she let out a brittle cough, drops of liquid escaping her parted lips as pain racked her throat and body. around her, a cacophony of hushed, concerned murmurings began to escalate. she couldn’t fully recognize the voices of these women, nor bring herself to face them. her urge to simply drift off once more, regardless of what would happen to her, was heavy. 

in spite of zelda’s unwillingness, her cognizance began to slowly return in the form of curiosity. who were these women? why were they helping her? where in din’s name was she? while pain and confusion dulled her senses, zelda attempted to open her eyes. 

even the dull light of the bedroom was unwelcome; yet, through the pulsing pain of her temple, the blurry faces of her caretakers soon began to form. before the calamity occurred, zelda could name off every inhabitant within gerudo town, vai or vehvi. however, the women who leaned above her showed no familiarity whatsoever. they were complete strangers, decades younger than zelda’s time. 

while fumbling atop the bed, zelda tried to further push herself into a sitting position, blatantly ignoring the gerudo’s words of disapproval. that is, until her midriff experienced a stabbing pain from the movement. stiffening, she quickly glanced down at the bandages enveloping her abdomen. memories of the yiga returned to her, and the dawning horror made her all but patient.

“do you know where my friend is? his name is link. he’s a young voe, dirty blonde hair, and-- and--”

her words fell out altogether in a hoarse, rushed panic, all the while combined with zelda’s vague hand motions for emphasis. he wasn’t dead, right? last she recalled were the dire few moments after her throat had been slit, with link completely and utterly surrounded by yiga soldiers. he had to have been the one to bring her here, unless, miraculously, someone had found her before she bled out. before the gerudo women had the time to reply, tears had already begun to spring forth and well at the corners of zelda’s eyes. she let her hand gestures fall, fingers gingerly lifting to stroke the heavily bandaged area of her neck. feebly, she added. “he’s not hurt,,, is he?’

olu, one of the hotel workers, gazed at zelda with sympathy. “hun, he was the one who left you here.” she cooed softly.

“he was very concerned-- one of our soldiers saw him camping outside of the town, waiting for you.” romah added.

“waiting for me? here? how long was i unconscious?” 

weariness cast aside, zelda tore off the light blanket that still covered her lower body. she moved for the door thoughtlessly; but as her feet hit the adobe floor, she felt a rush pass through her. swaying heavily, it didn’t take long for romah to reach out and steady her with a gentle hand. she acquiesced, letting them help her into the bed with a thankful yet begrudging expression. “i.. would like to see him. please.”

they stared skeptically at her before giving each other a knowing look. olu then approached zelda, cautiously sitting on the empty side of her bed. “i am sorry, but it is much too early for that.”

“just wait a day or two; i am sure he will still be there. our chief will supply him with all he needs until then.”

zelda’s shoulders dropped as she resigned herself to staying. their words brought a sense of reassurance to her, as she knew they were right about both things. one, she was in no shape to visit him, and she had no desire to make him worry. two, link would never willingly leave her to fend for herself. he simply wouldn’t.

letting out a soft sigh, zelda hesitantly let herself relax and lean back. “my sincerest apologies for all the trouble i’ve caused. link and i are truly indebted to you.” she spoke softly, wondering to herself what she could do to repay the gerudo for their generosity-- if she did ever manage to restore hyrule to its former glory. 

romah and olu quickly reassured zelda, telling her that her own recovery was enough compensation in and of itself. they continued to idly chatter amongst themselves, belatedly noticing zelda’s half-lidded eyes and drowsy expression. quietly, olu slid off the bed and the two of them soon left the room; leaving zelda to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you'll find out what happened when zelda was unconscious after the link pov is posted! for now, thank you so much for reading my work. a few more chapters and then the zelda portion of this fanfiction will be finished.


	8. together at last

two nights, regular bandage changes, and four doses of hearty elixir later— zelda’s wounds had cleaned up nicely and showed no signs of infection.

during this time, she had befriended just about every gerudo she had spoken to during her stay. thankfully, romah had prohibited all visitors (outside of those already staying within hotel oasis). while she was still sore, zelda had already begun to get up and walk around on her own accord. after all, the small bookshelf in the corner of her room was practically calling to her.

in the early morning of her last day, romah had informed zelda that she was more or less ready to soon take her leave. in a flurry of excitement, zelda clasped the older woman’s hands and thanked her again, dearly. as zelda pulled away, the gerudo delicately motioned to the lengthier side of her hair. “would you like me to do something about... this?”

zelda’s hands immediately flew to her scalp, which had been cleaned of blood and dirt during her state of unconsciousness, amongst many other things. “...is it that bad?” her question was rhetorical, but it did little to hide the twinge of sadness and insecurity.

without any response, romah turned away before entering the back area of her desk. fumbling around, she soon lifted up a golden, ruby encrusted hand mirror. “it’s from jewe— ah, isha. she had given it to me.”

“it’s beautiful..” zelda whispered as the mirror was handed over. she lifted her arm slowly, testing the weight of the object whilst familiarizing herself with her own heavy bandaging. she then raised it to her face.

aside from the faint bruising and long, shallow cut above her cheek, her face had remained relatively unscathed. yet, on the left side of her head, blonde locks spiked out in every direction. it was scarcely an inch lower than her ear; shorter than she could ever remember it being in her life. she was beginning to understand _why_ link’s hair bedhead looked so terribly messy in the morning.

exhaling slowly, she gave herself a wry smile. “well... it could be worse. i’m lucky enough for my life— vanity pales in comparison.”

“would you like it evened out?”

zelda nodded, passing back the mirror solemnly. with her consent now given, romah wasted no time seating zelda on a nearby stool. in her hands, she carried the jeweled mirror alongside a pair of spring scissors that she had also retrieved from her desk’s inventory.

“are you sure about this?”

“yes.” zelda replied, voice quivering.

the whole ordeal barely lasted 15 minutes, zelda’s eyes staying glued to the ground the entire time; watching the long, heavy strands of hair float onto the ground. discarded.

clasping her hands around her waist, she gave an uneasy smile as romah signaled she was finished. stepping off the stool, zelda hesitantly ran her fingers through the remains of what was left on her head. she couldn’t say she didn’t enjoy the... lightness, and mobility, of the haircut. yet, the lack of blonde hair blanketing her left her feeling strange and defenseless.

“may i borrow the mirror for a moment?” she asked, hands nervously twirling together.

“of course.”

zelda promptly began to examine herself, brushing a stray lock behind her pointed ear. she returned the looking glass moments after, thanking romah with a quiet murmur.

her hair… it would take some getting used to. but, it would grow back eventually. she couldn’t brood forever— she had other, far more important tasks, at hand.

“link... he’s waiting for me.”

zelda turned to face the entrance of the inn, a smile tugging on her lips. “is it possible to go to him now?”

the moment romah nodded her affirmation, zelda’s small smile was engulfed by a large, ecstatic, toothy grin. quickly turning, she made her way to the hub of gerudo town. her pace was incredibly quick, despite her slightly floundering gait, and it took almost no time at all for her to get to the exit.

her sandaled feet sunk as she continued to step away, the adobe interior of gerudo town progressively turning into soft, golden sand. the guards at either side of the entrance looked mildly surprised at her emergence, having seen zelda carried to them half-drowned in her own blood hardly a week prior. after greeting the two warmly, zelda described link; hoping to get a precise location. thankfully, romah was correct; it seemed he was still there. the left guard nodded in understanding before pointing northeast— and zelda’s head snapped rushedly towards the signified area, so quickly she could’ve sworn she had whiplash. no matter, nothing mattered to her the moment she saw the faint smoke of a dying fire, alongside the outline of a slumped boy.

beaming, she thanked them as she hurriedly stumbled towards the shape of link. she could feel her heart rate picking up, excitement thrumming underneath her skin to the very tips of her fingers. she had already waited 100 years for him, and after her kidnapping, she didn’t want to wait another minute.

“_link_!”

he wasn’t far, but the sand was increasingly difficult to move in without the aid of sandboots. stumbling, she clumsily used her hands to steady herself before closing the final gap and rushing at him.

“you’re not hurt, are you?” cupping his cheeks, she examined his face before glancing down at the rest of his body. aside from the sores on his wrists, he didn’t seem terribly injured, yet his haggard appearance worried her all the same. his face looked sunken, the sickly pallor beneath his skin contrasting against the liveliness of his colorful voe outfit. “oh, link.” she murmured sympathetically. meeting his gaze once more, she was suddenly enveloped into a tight, desperate hug.

hissing through her teeth, zelda involuntarily winced as he held her close. however, she made no move to object, even as he tightly pressed against her bandaged abdomen. shakily, she curled her arm behind him, reciprocating the hug as she leaned her forehead onto his shoulder. “i’m sorry for being so _stupid_. i wandered off, got myself captured, and we nearly— we nearly—” she paused, squeezing her eyes shut before continuing with a muffled whimper.

“...i missed you..”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by the way, thank you so much for reading! if there's any particular line or scene you enjoyed, i'd love to hear. i'm also searching for critique and advice on zelda's characterization + writing in general. please leave a comment or dm me(??) my tumblr is melonlcrd


	9. brewing storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Placed back at the beginning, now seen through Link’s eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link’s POV was written by my close friend, Ryan! Aka @/ruinofcalamity

Link had fallen asleep to the sound of raindrops gently slapping the roof. It was the first night in a long time that he could actually rest, and not just lay in a bed with his eyes closed and the hope that he’d be lulled off at some point. Exhaustion was persistent as ever through his travels, but his worry for Zelda’s well-being was stronger. She was his responsibility ( though he was smart enough to never say that directly to the Princess ), and along the lines he had grown to care for her outside of the professional nature they had started with; she was a friend. 

He couldn’t begin to imagine what Zelda had endured in the years she was trapped with Calamity Ganon — he had an idea, of course, but the truth was masked behind the Princesses perfect façade of composure and strength that she showed to her people. And it’s not that he didn’t understand her duty as a ruler — he knew she needed to stay strong, or at least appear strong for her people, no matter how much she was hurting inside ... he just wished she’d let down her defenses with him. 

Nonetheless, things were slowly getting better. The pair had retreated to his home in Hateno Village, which was mainly untainted by the memory of Calamity Ganon’s wrath, and Link had the hope that being here would be good for Zelda. Even if she didn’t want to partake in anything offered by the quaint little village, he’d be content with just having her at home ... within his sights. His desire to keep her close after their long awaited reunion was probably irritating to the blonde girl, but he couldn’t be blamed; he worried about her, more so now than before. 

Lightning struck the ground just outside the bedroom window and Link’s body shot upright at the clash of noise, chest heaving slightly with surprise. 

Another flash lit up dangerously close, illuminating the interior of the room for a split second in its wake. His head turned to the right, examining the empty side of the bed where Zelda had been laying last time he checked, and was greeted with cold, empty sheets. 

In a flash, the boy threw the blanket back and scrambled to grab his hood and sword before heading out into the gloomy storm, not even bothering to close the door in his hurry to get out.


	10. restless

The rain poured from enraged clouds, hammering against the measly piece of fabric that was thrown over the blonde Hylian’s head in a feeble attempt to keep himself dry, but it stood no chance against the wrath from the sky. Link slid the soaking material away from his face as he ducked under an aged tree for shelter. 

Resting a hand against the coarse trunk, his gaze swept through the downpour for any sign of the Princess. Her departure from the house wasn’t exactly unexpected, but why she had taken off in the middle of the night would forever remain a mystery. Even with the Calamity gone, the outside world could be unforgiving. 

But ... maybe he worried too much for her. It seemed like it was an instinctive thing to do, but Zelda could hold her own — she had proven that much. And maybe she didn’t really need him worrying for her well-being, but he couldn’t sit there and turn a blind eye. He owed her his life, after all. If not for her, everything would be different. 

So, Link pressed on. 

He wandered aimlessly through the pelting rain, searching along every path he could think of for a sign of her. He ducked under every sheltered area that came to mind, and even checked the Inn to see if she had stayed there to wait out the rain; nothing. 

Much to the boys dismay, his next option was the woods. The thunder had begun to recede a few short minutes ago, taking the cold rain along with it. He stopped to light a torch and pressed on. The orange glow came to a halt as his boots squished in the mud and his steps backtracked a bit to cast the light below. Footprints, embedded in the ground, stared back at him and stretched on as far as he could make out with the weak light given by his torch — too many footprints to be created by him in that moment. 

His heart thumped lightly in his chest and a knot tightened in his stomach as he began to assume the worst. It wasn’t exactly a secret that Zelda had been staying in the quaint little village of Hateno with her former knight, and villagers had a tendency to gossip about matters unrelated to them. 

A knee sunk into the mud as Link bent down, closely examining the disturbed area for any tell-tale signs of what exactly might’ve happened. Among the footsteps that held the lingering memory of what had happened, a few stray pieces of evidence that were most likely unintentionally left behind, stared up at him from the mud. Fingers peeled the soggy material from the grime it was resting in and held it up to the flame to study it better. The material itself wasn’t mere writing paper due to the thickness, but it wasn’t quite cardboard either; it was teetering dangerously along the line that divided the two and bore the signature Yiga Clan emblem that the Hylian boy knew all too well. 

The almost amusing and all too easy fight with Master Kohga burned in his mind, forcing all the pieces to fall into place. Through his travels he’d encountered many short-lived battles with the measly Yiga footsoldiers that Master Kohga sent out, but after successfully infiltrating their hideout for Riju’s Thunder Helm and defeating the boss, the Yiga Clan seemed increasingly angry with the hero. Truthfully, Link hadn’t been expecting so much backlash from them; but it was nothing he couldn’t ever handle. 

But ... _this? _Taking Zelda as vengeance for what _Link_ had done? It was right up their alley, sure, but that didn’t make the thought any less infuriating. 

Standing back up, the blonde boy folded the soggy token of evidence and placed it in his pocket before sprinting off in whatever direction the footsteps lead. He had never been so thankful for the rain before tonight, as it was serving a greater purpose than anyone would ever realize. The dozens of footsteps directed him for a good while until the ground slowly dried and forced him to momentarily halt and weigh his options. Luckily, a few lone travelers were able to confirm his suspicions by vaguely describing the group as a cluster of people who seemed to be in a rush to reach their destination, and that strange laughing echoed in the hills after them. One traveler, who was visibly shaken up, produced a Yiga Clan emblem that reflected the one Link had in his possession. And if that wasn’t confirmation enough, the shaken man went on to tell the Hylian that a few of the members had stolen the bananas he was planning on selling near Hateno Village in the upcoming week. 

And that was all the information Link needed. Luckily, the Clan wasn’t terribly smart and proved to be quite predictable often enough, so his worry toned down just a notch or two after gathering the traveler’s stories. 

And with that, Link took off once more; this time eased a bit, but still frustrated all the same.


	11. preparation

The trek back to his home in Hateno village was a short one, but despite that fact, and despite the fact that he was running as fast as he could, it felt like it had taken hours. The door blew shut behind him and the hood was thrown from covering the top of his head in one quick movement, causing fat droplets of water to slap the wooden floor. 

He stared inquisitively at the weapons mount that glistened from the back kitchen wall, sizing up each blade with narrowed eyes. If he had more time and Zelda’s safety wasn’t compromised by the likes of the Yiga Clan, he might have even taken a moment to open up his weapons journal and examine his own findings on each blade to weigh the pros and cons. 

But there wasn’t time for that right now.   
  


Great Frostblade ... effective against numerous enemies, though due its size it was a bit heavy and wielding it properly required both hands which left his defenses down ... no. He’d be a fool to lug that through the Gerudo Highlands — he needed something lightweight, easy to wield, but durable. A crack of lightning outside the house pulled the blonde hero from his thoughts and served as a reminder of sorts to the true task at hand: saving Zelda. A wave of momentary shame washed over him as he reflected upon his current situation; standing here idly, nitpicking through his weapons for one that he deemed worthy while Zelda could very well be fighting for her life right now.   
  


Finally, without further questioning, Link settled for a simple Lizal Tri-Boomerang, sword, and an unused Serpentine Spear that had been hanging on his wall for ages. He filled his quiver with an assortment of arrows, strapped a durable shield onto his back alongside his Forest Dwellers Bow and was on his way. Thanks to the Sheikah Slate that he still had in his possession, getting to the Gerudo region would be easy. His ability to fast travel to shrines already visited was one that he used many times during his expedition to free the Divine Beasts and Zelda, though it could only do so much. Given that the Yiga Clan hideout was exactly as the name stated ... a hideout, and not exactly sitting in a well populated area, Link’s pitstop at the Gerudo Canyon Stable would certainly chip away at the allotted time-slot he’d given himself for idle business.

  
But riding on horseback was the only efficient way to get there, so there wasn’t room for debate. 

He took out his fastest steed, clad with the Ancient gear that gave him a stamina boost, and had just settled his foot into the stirrup when a voice called out from behind him, “young man!” An arm waved lightly through the air, catching the hero’s eye, but only for a second. Link simply pulled his hood up further and mounted the white horse, grasping the reins between his fingers with the intent to snap and send the steed flying. “I have something for you,” the voice was closer — much closer. Turning his head to the side, Link’s eyes landed on the male who was standing an unnerving foot or so away from his horse.   
  


Link was three seconds away from _kindly _telling his fellow traveler that he didn’t have time for chit-chat, but he didn’t even get the chance before a white envelope was produced and piquing his interest. The traveler held it between two fingers, up to the hero, bearing a wide smile that showed rows of perfectly straight teeth. Hesitantly, the blonde boy took the envelop and glanced back to the smiling traveler on his left. It was clear he wouldn’t be leaving until he saw him open it, and they already had wasted enough time with this little endeavor, so he quickly flipped it over and began to rip the paper.   
  


The weight of it itself was a bit surprising and indicated that there was something more than just a letter contained within, so now Link was pretty interested in what he had been given. He tore it with urgency, desperate to get this out of the way so he could continue his journey to the Yiga Clan hideout, but when he actually saw what his personalized package contained, part of him wished he had tossed it to the ground unopened. Inside was a simple sheet of paper, and a clothed item, reflecting the color of unsoiled and freshly fallen snow, bright enough to nearly light up his surroundings it seemed. Written on it, a few simple lines: ‘If you wish to see your beloved Princess again, come alone to the Yiga Clan hideout in exactly two hours. We leave you a little motivation to ride fast and swift, Hero. See you soon.’ 


	12. crimson and gold

_‘If you wish to see your beloved Princess again, come alone to the Yiga Clan hideout in exactly two hours. We leave you a little motivation to ride fast and swift, Hero. See you soon.’_

Link could have handled that. He could have handled a little taunting from the Yiga Clan — he would have simply crumpled up the paper and been on his way as usual ... but there was more to his personalized package than just that. Wrapped up in thin white cloth was a chunk of golden hair, singed with crimson blood at the ends where it had been viciously ripped or chopped from a scalp. The lock slid into the palm of his hand as a pair of enlarged blue eyes stared at it with horror. The hue matched the color of sunbeams pouring from a clouded sky, and gave a real life definition to the word ‘happiness’, with its gentle glow and soft texture — even so painfully ripped from her head, Zelda’s hair held unkempt beauty that none could match.  
  


But the blood ... oh the blood. So little, nothing more than a light dusting of crimson, but it made his stomach churn like it never had before. The great hero of Hyrule, wielder of the sword that sealed the darkness, the ruin of calamity, appointed protector and knight of Princess Zelda herself, and he couldn’t handle the sight of the blood. How much flesh had he mindlessly slashed through during his adventures, and almost basked in the warm spray of blood from his enemies? How many times was he forced to abandon his humanity and compose a pile of bodies in the name of protection? But he couldn’t handle a few drops of blood on a lock of all too familiar golden lock of hair.   
  


The hair was clenched in an enraged fist and his head flew to the side with spiteful words dancing on the tip of his tongue — only to find the spot next to him empty. The Yiga Clan member who had cleverly disguised themself as a common traveler was long gone, leaving nothing but Link, the howling wind, and his own rage. He thrust the hair into his pocket, seized the reins, and snapped them with urgency that even startled the horse who reared slightly and tore off with the thundering sound of hooves slapping the ground in his wake. 


	13. your princess awaits

They rode dutifully through the sand without stopping until the clattering hooves came to a slow stop at the edge of a cliff too steep for him to climb. Link released the reins and slid off the saddle, giving his steed a gentle pat on the nose as thanks for his unfailing support. With a promise he'd be back soon, the blonde boy started climbing. It was nothing extravagant and it took him a whopping thirty seconds to reach the top, but the moment his feet touched the sand he was taking off in the direction of the hideout. Perhaps he'd marveled at the Yiga's choice of decoration for their 'hideout' once upon a time, but he didn't even give himself the option now. He kept his eyes focused dead ahead until the main entrance crept into view.

Two foot soldiers stood outside, armed with their trusty vicious sickles, clad in their signature attire, and said nothing as the hero approached. They remained as motionless as statues as Link drew near, but he knew behind those masks, eyes were following his every move; he'd need to be quick and agile if he were to do anything. Given Zelda's current situation however, maybe it were best if he went about a diplomatic route ... she would most definitely approve of that one — but then again, this was the Yiga Clan. Their version of diplomacy was attacking with their words, while they attacked with their blades.

So he took a page from their book and tore the tri-boomerang from his back in one swift movement and whipped it at the unsuspecting foot soldiers who were just a hair of a second too late slow. The blade clashed viciously with their bodies and rendered them momentarily paralyzed, giving the boy a clear and straight shot into the hideout without those inside aware. And just as he stuck his hand out to catch the boomerang as it came back around, a sharp gust of wind slammed him back and into a slab of stone. A short gasp fell past his lips as he struggled to bounce back from the abrupt hit and find his attacker — who just so happened to be standing in the mouth of the main entrance.

Blademaster, armed with his trusty Windcleaver.

The Blademaster laughed lowly and sheathed his sword with clear amusement and pride with what he had accomplished. "Disarm yourself, hero — and do so quickly. It's rude to keep an upstanding member of our beloved royal family waiting, don't you think?"

Link choked on the very air he was taking in as he rolled away from the stone and pushed his knuckles into the sand to help himself stand. Once on his feet, he swayed unsteadily and staggered toward the entrance with a glare directed to the Blademaster. He listened, however, and shed his weapons as he walked, dropping boomerang, shield, bow, quiver, sword — everything until he was standing directly in front of the large man with the same prominent glare stuck on his features.

A gesture down the dimly lit hall, "Your Princess awaits."


	14. impulse

It felt like a hundred people were staring at him. A hundred soulless gazes burning into his skin, eyeing him like he was a grand prize fit enough to be mounted on the wall for all to see. To the Yiga, the legendary hero of Hyrule was exactly that: yes, he would certainly look wonderful upon that wall next to his beloved princess. Two of their greatest enemies, bested in one sitting. The whole ordeal seemed surreal on both sides.

A hand shoved square into his shoulder to force him to pick up the pace. Link stumbled forward a bit while composing his balance and shot an ice cold gaze over his shoulder to the large man behind him. "Pick up the pace," he was instructed.

For the life of him, Link couldn't make sense of their hurry to get him to the main room. Surely they knew they'd never defeat him, right? Try as they might, they had never once been successful in taking down their foes. Their large numbers were the only thing proving to be of assistance to them in any sort of way. Their fighting abilities were laughable in his eyes — even the best of them lacked proper skill. Even the battle with beloved Master Kohga was about as challenging as slaying measly Bokoblin on the Great Plateau with a simple branch.

Needless to say, Link's confidence in himself and lack thereof in the Yiga was the only reason he hadn't lashed back yet. If it weren't for that cheap shot that caught him off guard outside the entrance, the boy was certain he would've saved the princess by this point. But he took the bait, almost amused to see what his foes had in store for him. It was no secret that he loved a good fight, and some part of him hoped his enemies would deliver for once.

The Hylian knight strode into the room with an unfazed demeanor, perfectly maintaining his cool as every head turned in his direction. He looked at not a single masked face yet, for his attention was drawn to the center of the room where Zelda stood on a platform that was heavily guarded by a variety of different Yiga clansmen: foot-soldiers with Demon Carvers, Vicious Sickles, Duplex Bows ... the works. There was even a pair of Blademasters positioned behind her against the wall in case extra manpower was needed.

It wasn't the summoned army that centered as his focus point currently, however. Blue eyes flickered quickly over the crowd, yes, but when they settled back on the princess, everything else seemed to blur out.

What had they done to her?

The attire she had climbed into bed with was still clinging to her figure — barely. The pure and unsoiled white was bruised with the colors of the earth and crimson blood that fanned out in drippings from the point of origin. A nasty wound stared back at him, crusted with dried blood and the early stages of attempted healing, forming the shape of the undeniable Yiga Clan symbol. The sight alone forced a fist at his side to clench and his knuckles to turn white with anger, ready to throw a punch at whoever was closest — but when his eyes traveled further up Zelda's body, his senses went dull and the fingered loosened.

Her hair. Messily chopped with an uncaring hand, leaving the two sides of her golden locks uneven and distasteful. His mind flashed back to the envelope he had received at the stable, and the chunk of hair it contained — Link understood it had been a taunt, but the amount he had received was only a small lock in comparison to how much she had lost.

With darkened features, Link whipped his head to the side where another Blademaster had joined him on his journey. "How dare you harm her?" The words forced themselves out before he could even consider maintaining his silence, but given the situation there was no possible way he could remain quiet. Simply kidnapping Zelda was one thing, but inflicting physical harm upon her? That was a whole different story.

He acted on impulse by moving for the towering man at his side, but before he could reach, the back of his shirt and cloak were seized by a powerful fist that yanked him backward and sent him forward again with a powerful shove.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you, hero," the Blademaster spat on him, only forcing Link's rage to boil over even more. Like a child, he was yanked up off the ground by the same man and personally guided to his next destination by the fist grasping the back of his shirt. They were directed to the wall where a set of chains were nailed into the stone wall. He was instructed to put them on himself, and without further delay, he gave in. The hope had not drained from his mind yet, however, or there was no way in hell he would have restricted himself in such a manner. If anything, his protectiveness over Zelda and the spite her afflictions brought to him only heightened his confidence. If they wanted to motivate him, they had done a wonderful job.

He silently eyed the restrictive cuffs, following the long link that connected them to the wall where they were held in place by a nail. With his eyes alone, Link could tell that the nail that was supposed to hold him in place was loose: small flakes of stone crumbled with the gesture of him picking up the chain. He wondered how much force would be necessary to fully draw the nail free.

Almost as if he were shamefully pulling them on with a temper, the blonde boy yanked on the metal to see if it would give. The nail loosened gently in its place, but that's about as much as he got. It would need to be worked out of place little by little and he'd have to do so without drawing too much attention to himself.

"Hero," a new voice spoke up, nearly shaking the entire room with a booming echo. Link twisted around to face who was addressing him. Outward appearances could've fooled anyone into thinking he was another lowly Yiga clansman with a bone to pick with Link, but the Hylian boy knew better than to believe something that foolish. The man seemed to hold himself differently than the others, with an air that demanded respect and devotion. The other clansmen looked to him as if he were a leader, and all but vibrated with excitement when he spoke.

Link gently twisted the chains into his hands and began to lightly pull on the material. The blade that glistened against Zelda's throat raised a couple red flags in his mind, and slowly that confidence was starting to flake away. It took everything within him to not simply just rip the chain from the wall and rush to her side — but who's to say he would make it in time? The blade could easily slice through her skin the second the chain was free and then everything he had planned would be in vain.

'Patience,' he reminded himself. This homemade Yiga leader was prepping for a speech, Link could already tell, so that would buy him an extra few precious seconds — he hoped.

"Hero," he began, voice borderline gleeful. Repositioning the blade, he pressed it against the convergence of her lower jaw and throat— forcing her to lift her head and chin in submission. "I hope you enjoy this wonderful sight. How does it feel knowing you failed?"

Undeterred by the lack of response, the Yiga continued with a sly grin. "I wonder how you'll cope once your _beloved Zelda_ is gone. A shame, truly. While I would love to say I hate the prospect of interrupting such a pure, young love— you have incited and brought forth our anger from the very beginning; I shall enjoy this very much."

It was easy to ignore the jab the man had made at them; love? Perhaps in a friendly manner, but Link would never let it surpass that. Duty always had to come before his own emotions, and being romantically involved with the princess would put a strain on the very reason he was alive. He had already let her down once and Link had since sworn it would never happen again. Ever.

Words spoken far too soon. A promise made in a mindset of overwhelming confidence when Link thought they had put all the evil the world had to offer behind them for the time being.

Time seemed to slow, like someone wanted to toy with him and make him remember this moment forever. The gleaming blade, Zelda's panicked expression that all but begged Link to help her, the blood, the cheering, the crumpling of her body against the floor — and that's when his senses kicked back in and everything hit him at once.


	15. recompense

The gleaming blade, Zelda’s panicked expression that all but begged Link to help her, the blood, the cheering, the crumpling of her body against the floor — and that’s when his senses kicked back in and everything hit him at once. 

Among the cheers of victory from the Yiga, Link’s own horrified cry for Zelda was devoured. The chains rattled as he momentarily forgot they were restricting him and lunged forward to provide aid to the princess — but the metal cut deep into his wrists and yanked him backward in place. He repeated the action with more desperation this time, finding his heart pounding against his chest with urgency; if he didn’t get to her in time, she would undoubtedly bleed out right in front of him. 

But the damn chains refused to let him go, leaving him repeating the action of feebly pulling forward on them in his desperate attempt to reach the princess. Each forceful pull against them inched the nail out farther and farther from the wall, and within half a minute it clinked to the ground and granted the hero his freedom. Before the overjoyed Yiga could even realize the hole in their seemingly foolproof plan, Link had darted forward and slung the chain between his wrists around a member's neck. 

The body went rigid against his chest and urgently flailed with an attempt to escape, but Link felt no mercy for these people. No mercy, no sympathy, and not a single shred of regret for the fate they would bring upon themselves. Drawing his elbows back tightly, the chain constricted more around the man’s neck and within due time his body fell lifelessly to the floor. He snatched the ring of keys from the man's belt, along with the unscathed Sickle, and straightened his spine. 

By this point, the crowd in the room had become aware of his escape and chaos erupted full-force, but nobody was backing down. The first few soldiers were easy to take down, even with his hands still bound. Link made short work of slicing their necks and rendering them useless to the next wave of attackers that were already pouring in. Typically he’d prefer to not use such violence and force in the same room as the princess, but given the current situation, it was necessary. And while he hated to admit it, taking these lives felt _good_, though nowhere near justifying for what the Yiga had done to Zelda. If there was punishment worse than death, Link would execute it personally to each and every clan member in this room. 

Quick feet carried the attacker in his direction but Link’s defenses were up, even without a single defensive item at his disposal. He had battled the Yiga many times and knew their moves and patterns like the back of his hand, which was why it was so easy to take them down and start stacking the body count. Slice after slice he made, effortlessly taking the men down from all directions as they attacked — but suffocation was setting in as sharp gusts of air were caught in the corner of his eye. Blademasters — harder to get close to and without a long reaching sword or spear, Link would struggle a bit. 

He needed to think quickly. Zelda’s life depended on it — if she was even with them still. From his position in the back of the room it was hard to judge just where the blade had cut, and how deep it went, but Link had a habit of assuming the worst when it came to her well-being, which landed him where he currently was. 

The Sickle clattered to the ground and the tail of the chain was drawn into his grasp. Wrapping it tightly around his hand, Link began to swing the metal around in front of him, striking the few foolish Yiga who dared come forward and attempt to finish him off. The metal slapped dangerously against body after body, stunning his opponents with the force as the hero tried to thin the crowd that surrounded him on all sides — but it was useless. 

There were just so many ... and Zelda, goddess, poor Zelda ... throat slit and dying alone in a pool of her own blood at the hands of her kidnappers. 

There was no way he’d reach her in time if he had to take down everyone. He had a single fallback plan in mind, but it could fail him and make matters worse if it wasn’t timed just right. What other option did he have, though? 


	16. lightning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gore ahead! skip this chapter if you aren’t comfortable w/ that

_Snap._ The metal dragged another unsuspecting victim to the ground, and as Link drew the chain back he raised it over his head and began to twirl it faster. A gentle whipping noice filled the room as the chain cut through the air unexpectedly, leaving the surrounding Yiga uncertain as to whether or not they should strike. Their momentary uncertainty was all the Hylian needed to charge up his next move through, and when another body lunged at him from the crowd, the chain struck the ground with such force that the last section of links snapped under the intensity. 

Strains of green lightning sailed down from the sky, striking the crowd of unexpecting clansmen around Link. The sound of metal weapons clattering against stone filled the room, mixing with a chorus of pained cries that each inflicted individual let out. While they were stunned from the electricity, Link seized the hilt of an abandoned Windcleaver and charged up his second attack. A long jet of wind rippled through the air, tossing his opponents back as the attack was unleashed, and as soon as they hit the ground another round of lightning was unleashed. 

Bodies crumpled to the ground lifelessly after the second round of fury that the fallen Champion had released on them, and the few remaining Yiga who were left barely standing took a knee, pressed their palms together, and disappeared. Panting, Link dropped the large blade and stepped over the body at his feet with his sights set on Zelda’s collapsed figure. The clan leader had fled during Link’s rage, but he couldn’t find it within himself to care. All that mattered right now was Zelda ... how long had it been since that blade first zipped across her neck?

“Zelda,” he whispered under his breath as his knees slapped the platform beside her. Bright red contrasted horrifically against her fair skin, blossoming with life from the wound in her neck that was drawn clean across. It dripped down her collarbones and the front of what little garments she still had on, soaking darkly into the fabric. The saturation was so great that blood was pooling on the surface, too, and Link felt worry knot tightly in the pit of his stomach. 

Try as he might to fight them off, warm tears refused to leave his eyes.

“You’re okay,” Link added while frantically tearing the fabric of his shirt. His own shaky hands surprised him, and he couldn’t even hide it as he pressed the fabric of his ripped clothing to the open wound on Zelda’s neck. “You’re going to be okay.” Was he trying to comfort Zelda or himself in this moment? 

His hands were already sticky. The rag he was pressing against the wound was already beyond soaked with blood, and when the hero pulled it away, fat drops of red fell to the ground from it. Without thinking, he desperately placed his hand over the opening with light pressure. 

“You’re okay,” the phrase repeated without him even realizing it. Saying it aloud provided a false sense of security, despite the sideways turn Zelda’s current state was taking. “I can’t stop the bleeding,” he muttered to her, as if she were going to reply. The palm of his hand was already completely covered, and holding it in place only altered the direction the blood dripped when it rolled out of the cut. It was hopeless.


	17. carry

There was no way he could tend to her properly here. If by some miracle, she were to survive this, proper medical attention was necessary — and Link was beyond underqualified to play that role. 

So, he did the only thing he knew to do. He secured a makeshift bandage around her neck and gently picked her limp body up into his arms, and carried her outside to the cool evening that was blowing in. Mounting the steed was a difficult task, but once he had secured Zelda in front of him in the saddle with a delicate hand around her to keep her head from jostling too much, the reins snapped and they took off to Gerudo Town. 

The entire ride, Link could do nothing but reflect on his failure. He had one job: protect Zelda. Twice now he had failed to do so, and this second time brought consequences so far beyond his reach, he was forced to bring her to the aid of someone else all together. 

He couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong with him — how had he let it come to this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Horses may not be allowed in Gerudo Desert but this is fanfiction logic and we want Zelda to live so—


End file.
